Process of reactivation of adsorptive material



Jan. 3, 1928.

w. s. BAYLls' PRQCESS OF REACTIVATION 0F ADSORPTIVE MATERIAL Filed April5. 1926 irrofr/Yfy.

Patented Jan. 3, 192e.

'UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

' WALTER BAYLIS,v 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB TO '.FILTROLCOMPANY, l F LOS ANGELES, CALU'ORNIA, A CORPORATION Ol' NEVADA.

rnocnss or aEAc'rIvArIoN or snsonrrivn MAzrn'nInI...V

Application lied April s, 192s. serial 1ro. 99,950.

My invention relates to a process of reactivating an adsorptlvematerial. In varlous reiinlng processes andv particularly in' certainoil refining rocesses it is sometimes tered from the matter beingrefined, which y spent adsorptive materlal, thus returning itv thepractice to emp oy a n` adsorptive material for adsorbing impurltiesfrom the matter being refined'. This adsor-ptlve materlal is usually anacid treated clay, and 1t 1s mixed with the matter to 'be refined sothat -the impurities thereof are adsorbed by this clay. The adsorptivematerial 1s later lilpasses from the filter in a purified condition. Itis an object of this inventlonto provlde a process f or removingimpurities. fr om a l to original condition suitable for reuse.

A trate an apparatus for conducting the process of my invention, 1 is amixer, 2 is a pressure pump, 3 is a iilter, press, 4 is a storage tank,5 is ,a boilerand superheater, 16 is a storage tank for .b

heater pump. v

The mixer 1 consists of a shell 11 having a conical bottom 12. Mixingpaddles 13 are riofidly secured on a shaft 14 inthe mixer 1,

' this shaft 14 being-journaled in bearings 15. '"i-f The shaft 14 isadapted to be driven in a' manner to ope-rate the paddles 13 by means.of gearing 16 situated at the upper end of the shaft 14.- A jacket 17surrounds the shell 11 providing a heating chamber adapted to receivesuperheated steam or hot oil y means -of which the interior of the shell11 may be vbi'ought to.a desired ,tem-V perature.

In this illustration of-my invention I shall describe a process 1n whichthe4` adsorptive wing air, 7 is an air pump, 8 1s an a1r heater and 9'1s an lalr material isemployed for refining oil. This oil is introducedlnto the mixer 1 by means of a pipe 18. A small percentage ofadqualities which render it xvery suitable for such use.V Filtrolis aspecial acid treated clay which is free from glazing `materialspossessed by natural clays and which will withstand a temperature ofover 1000 degrees Fahrenheit AWithout any decomposition.

oughly mixed in the mixer 1, this mixture being heated to Ya temperatureof about 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The( adsorptive material acts upon theoil in such a manner as to adsorb the impurities therefrom, theseimpurities usually consisting of resinous and carbonaceous matter andhydrocarbons of.

unsaturated and aromatic groups which give the oil dark colorandunpleasant odor.

After the oil and adsorptive material have been mixed` for aproperlength of time the mixing operation 1s arrested and the mixture isconveyed to the filter press 3. A pipe 21 extends from the conicalbottom 12 of the mixer 1 to thepump 2, this pipe 21 having a valve 22which is closed ldurlng the mix- The oil and adsorptive material aretho'ring of the oil and adsorptive material. This valve 22, however, isopened at this time and the pump 2 is set into operation. IExtendmg fromthe pump'2 to the filter press 3 is a pipe 23 havlng a valve 24 which isat this time opened. The pump when set into operatlon draws the mixturefrom the mixer 1 through the` pipe 21 and forces it through the pipe 23into the-filter press-3.l

For reaso or one which has similar characteristics.

hieh will be stated hereinafter,I-des1re to use a Sweetland filter pressTheflter press 3 is provided inthe form of a housing or shellv 31 havingan inlet 32 provided at one end thereof with which the i pipe'23-co'nnects p This inlet 32 connects with a passage 34 formedsbelow apartition 35. The passage 34 communicates with a cham.

ber 36 of the shell 31 through a plurality of openings 37 formed in thepartitlon 35. Sltuated in the chamber 36 is a multiplicity of stantiallyfilter bags 38 which are supported on the inner ends of nipples 39 whichextend through the upper part of the shell 3, these nipples 39connecting with the interiors of the ba s 38. The ba forme of a fabricwliich is -made from a metallic material so that they may withstand veryhigh temperatures. The metallic bag is one of the'features of theSweetland press and constitutes one of the reasons for desiring to usethis press. The nipples 39 connect with aheader 41 of the filter press3. p The mixture of oil and adsorptive material passes through the inlet32 into the passage 34 below the partition 35. The mixture passesthrough-the openings 37 of the partition into the chamber 36. The oil ofthe mixture passes through the walls of the filter bags 38 and fromthence passes through the nipples 39 into the header 41. The mesh of thebags 38 is quite fine and the adsorptive material impregnated withimpurities cannot pass therethrough. The adsor tive material thereforecollects in cakes on t e exterior of the filter bags 38, as indicated at42 in the drawings.

The oil assing into the header 41 is sublree from impurities andundesirable substances. The oil is conve ed from .the header 41 of thefilter press 3 y means of a pipe`43 having a valve 44 which is open atthis time. The pipe 4 3 connects the header 41 with the storage tank 4.

After a batch of oil and adsorptive material has been passed through thefilter press 3 the operation of the pump 2 is stopped and ,the valves 22and 24 1n the pipes 21 and 23 are closed. Extending from the boiler andsuperheater 5 to the pipe 23 is a pipe 51 having valves 52 and 53 whichare closed during the pumping of the mixture throu h the filter press 3.It should be noted in t e 'drawings that the pipe 5l connects to thepipe 23 at the right of the valve 24.

The valve 52 is full openedand the valve 53 is artially opened' so thatsteam will be supplledthrough the pipes 51 and 23 to the filter press 3.This steam passes through the cakes 42 formed on the filter bags 38 andva- .porizes ,any oil contained therein. The steam and oil vapors passthrough the pipe 43 as far as the valve 44 which 1s now closed and l arefrom thence conducted through a pipe 54 having a valve 55.- The valveis' closed 5 during the pumping of the mixtuiie through the system butis open while the steam is being passed through `the filter 3 for thepurpose of evaporating the oil therefrom. After length of' time, thevalve 53 is close this action 'has taken place for a (proper thusshutting down` the supply of steam to the filter press 3. The valve 55is then closed.

38 are preferably- The pump 7 is connected yto the storage tank 6 bymeans of a air in this stora e tan isconnected to t e pipe 51 by a pipe61 havy in a valve 62. The valve 62 in the pipe 61 is t en opened andair is supplied to the filter l 3 for the purpose of removlng moisturefrom `the cakes 42 on the filter bags 38. A valve 64 in a branch 65 ofthe pipe 43 is at this.

ties from the cakes 42 on the bags 38. The Y pump 9 is connected toaco-il 81 of the air heater 8 by means of a pipe 82. This coil 81 isplaced in a furnace 83 which is heated by alburn'er 84. The coil 81 isconnected to the pipe 51 by a pipe 85 having a valve 86. The pump 9 isset into operation and air is forced through the coil 81 of the airheater 8. The air is heated to a proper temperature in the coil 81. Thevalve 86 and the valve 53 are then opened to permit proper amounts ofairand superheated steam to pass through the pipe 51, the pipe 23 and intothe still 3. The superheated steam raises the temperature of the cake 42much above the kin'dlinv tem-V perature of the impurities containedtherein. The superheated steam in most instances is about 7 50 degreesFahrenheit. The air in the mixture supplies oxygen to support thecombustion of the impurities in the cake 42 and the impurities aretherefore all burned away. I have found that fltroll, the charac-' e 71and compresses l TheV storage tank 6- e steam and air and products ofcombeen continued fora length of time suiiicient to entirely burntheimpurities, the valves 53 and 86 .are closed and the pump 9 is shutdown. After this, the filter-3v is opened and the cakes 42 are removedtherefrom. The

cakes consist of pure adsorptive materiall which is in condition forreuse.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by my processadsorptive material may be reactivated and reused any number of times,this being very economical. My process is adapted for use in conjunctionwith a refining process which is very economical due to the facttht theadsorptive material may be reactivated while it is still in the filtermaterial which has previou taining combustible impurities,

press of the refinin equi ment. This'eliminates an additiona han ing ofthe adsorptive material.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of reactivating an adsorptive material comprising: formingan adsorptive material carrying combustible impurities linto a mass;passing superheated steam through said mass to raise the temperatureabove the kindling point of said impurities; and supplying oxygen tosaid mass tosupport the combustion of said impurities.

2. A process of reactivating an adsorptive material comprising: forminga filter clay carrying combustible impurities into a mass; passingsuperheated steam through said mass to raise the temperature above thekindling point of said impurities; and supplying oxygen to said mass tosupport the combustion of said impurities..

3. A process of reactivating an adsorptive material which has previouslybeen deposited as a cake in a filter press, said cake containingcombustible impurities, which comprises: blowing superheated steamthrough said cake while said cake is in place 1n the filter, said steambeing at a sufficiently high temperature and said blowing operationbeing continued for a sufficient period to raise the temperature of saidcake above the kindling point of the impurities in said cake; andblowing oxygen through said cake in sufficient amounts and for asufficient period to completely consume any carbonaceous impurities insaid cake.

4. A process of reactivating an adsorptive 's y been ldepos-l said cakeconwhich comprises: blowing superheated steam through said cake whilesaid cake is in place in the filter, said steam being at' a sufficientlyhigh temperature and said blowing operation beited as a cake in a filterpress,

in'g continued for a sufficient period to raise the temperature of saidcake above the kindling point ofthe impurities in said cake; and blowingoxygen heated above said kindling point through said cake in sufficientamounts and for a sufficient period to completely consume anycarbonaceous impurities in said cake. v

5. A process of reactivating an adsorptive material which has previouslybeen deposited as a cake in a filter press, said cake containingcombustible impurities, which com-v prises: blowmg superheated steamthrough said calze while said cake is in place in the filter, said steambeing at a sufficiently high temperature and said blowing operationbeing continued for a sufficient period to raise the temperature of saidcake above the kindling point of the impurities in said cake;

through said cake in sufficient amounts an for a sufficient period tocompletely consume any lcarloonaceous impurities in said cake.

6. A process of reactivating an adsorptive material which has previouslybeen deposited as a cake in a filter press, said cake containingcombustible impurities, whichl comprises: blowing superheated steamthrough said 'cake while ysaid cake is in place in the filter, saidsteam being at a sufficiently high temperature and said blowingoperation being continued for a sufficient period to raise thetemperature of said cake above the kinand simultaneously blowing oxygenldling point of the impurities in said cake; i

29th day of March, 1926..

ALTER S. BAYLIS.

